"Here, this is your money. Please take it."
Artoria exited a gold exchange shop with a thick stack of cash in hand.
"Hmm... This should be just enough for a meal," she muttered with satisfaction.
Having developed a craving for hamburgers but lacking money, Artoria had turned to one simple solution: trading gold for cash.
As for where the gold came from... she had the Holy Grail, after all.
Sure, she could've used hypnosis or suggestion magic to eat without paying, but Artoria had a significant appetite. The last time she dined out, she had eaten an entire restaurant's stock.
If she resorted to not paying, every establishment she visited would end up bankrupt. That simply wouldn't do—she liked their hamburgers too much and might want to return.
Glancing at the cash in her hands, Artoria couldn't help but salivate. Her steps grew lighter as anticipation bubbled within her.
"Hamburgers, here I come~~!"
As she walked along a narrow alley, a group of tough-looking men suddenly emerged from the shadows.
One of them brandished a knife, waving it menacingly in front of her.
"Hey, girl! You just walked out of that gold shop, didn't you? Must be carrying a lot of cash on you!"
"Don't bother denying it—we saw everything!"
Artoria blinked, momentarily stunned. This was her first time encountering a mugging.
A classic, textbook mugging at that.
She was certain she'd cast a presence-reduction spell on herself.
It seemed, however, that the large stack of cash in her hands had drawn too much attention.
Being a heretic god had its drawbacks. Magic below divine rank, whether beneficial or harmful, had no effect on her body.
So instead of concealing herself directly, she had cast a spell on those around her to make them "less likely to notice Artoria." The results, however, were not quite what she'd hoped for.
The spell was working—otherwise, these men would've targeted her not just for her money, but also for her striking appearance. It wasn't hard to imagine them trying to rob her and then take things further.
First time trying something so indirect. What a misstep, Artoria thought, tapping her chin thoughtfully.
She said nothing, her expression remaining calm and indifferent, which only enraged the muggers further.
"You dare ignore us, girl?!"
The man closest to her stepped forward, reaching out his hand.
But before he could touch her, a young voice rang out from above, attempting to sound authoritative:
"That's enough! You villains!"
A figure dropped from the air, landing gracefully between Artoria and the muggers.
It was a girl who appeared no older than ten.
Her silver hair was tied into a single ponytail, and her blue eyes radiated a determination far beyond her years.
What caught Artoria's attention, however, was the girl's potent magical energy—clearly, she was a skilled magus.
The girl raised her hand, standing protectively in front of Artoria, and declared firmly:
"As long as Liliana is here, I won't allow any evil or bullying to occur!"
Her dramatic entrance surprised the muggers, but her words only drew sneers from them.
"What can a little brat like you do?"
However, once they moved to attack, they quickly regretted it.
With surprising skill and speed, Liliana took them down one by one, leaving the gang of thugs sprawled on the ground.
Planting her foot on one man's back, Liliana turned to Artoria with a confident smile.
"Are you alright? Don't worry, the bad guys have been dealt with. You're safe now!"
Artoria had watched the entire spectacle with a blank expression.
While she hadn't needed any help, she still appreciated the gesture.
"Thank you," she said simply.
Hearing Artoria's gratitude, Liliana blushed slightly and broke into a bright, innocent smile.
"You're welcome! But be careful next time, okay? Don't flaunt your money like that—this area isn't safe. A delicate girl like you could easily get hurt."
"True. This was a foolish mistake on my part. It won't happen again."
"Good, that's what I like to hear!"
Liliana scrutinized Artoria's face. Something about her seemed... off.
Her calmness—even indifference—was not what one would expect from a fragile girl who had just encountered dangerous criminals.
"Is something wrong?" Artoria asked, noticing Liliana's stare.
"Huh? Oh, no! Nothing at all."
Realizing she'd been staring, Liliana worried she might have been rude.
"Liliana, is that your name?"
"Yes, I'm Liliana Kranjčar. May I ask your name?"
The name "Liliana" sparked a faint sense of recognition in Artoria's mind.
Wasn't she one of the heroines in the original story?
"Artoria," she replied evenly. "Just call me Artoria."
It wasn't long ago that Nuada and Saint George had demanded her name, only for her to coldly rebuff them with 'I have no leisure to answer the questions of the soon-to-be-dead.'
Compared to those gods, Liliana was far less significant in both strength and status. Yet, Artoria chose to answer her question.
Liliana didn't realize how honored she was.
"Artoria?"
Liliana blinked, momentarily puzzled.
Her dream was to become a knight who protected the weak, and her noble upbringing had exposed her to countless myths—none more revered than the tale of the chivalrous King of Knights.
The name "Artoria" bore a resemblance to "Artorius," one of King Arthur's legendary titles.
Still, a name alone didn't mean much. There were plenty of people named "Arthur" in the world.
Artoria had assumed Liliana's intervention was a one-off coincidence, that she'd leave after helping.
Instead, Liliana asked where Artoria was headed and insisted on accompanying her.
"It wouldn't be very knightly of me to let a girl—especially one who just encountered thugs—walk alone!"
Her earnest determination reminded Artoria of Lancelot.
That Lancelot, so popular with noblewomen, often said things like this.
Perhaps it was this fleeting sense of familiarity that made Artoria accept Liliana's offer.
With Liliana escorting her, Artoria soon arrived at a fast-food restaurant.
"Is this where you needed to go?"
Artoria nodded.
"Then I'll be on my way. Take care, and stay safe!"
But as Liliana turned to leave, Artoria stopped her.
"Wait a moment, Liliana."
Liliana turned back, confused.
"Is something wrong, Miss Artoria? Do you need help with anything? Just leave it to me!"
"No, you've already done more than enough."
Artoria's expression remained stoic as she spoke.
Liliana, having spent time with her, chalked it up to her personality. She must be the quiet, serious type.
At least she seemed kind—Liliana had gathered that much.
"I don't like being in debt to others," Artoria said firmly.
Under the gaze of those golden eyes, Liliana felt oddly flustered. She waved her hands dismissively.
"It's nothing, really! Just a small gesture—you don't owe me anything!"
Ignoring her protests, Artoria continued.
"You saved me this time. So, in the future... I'll save you."
As those words fell, the world itself seemed to tremble slightly, unnoticed by most.
Gods, by their nature, carried tremendous power. Even their names and words could reshape the world.
Liliana, however, didn't sense this shift.
To her, Artoria's promise was nothing more than a kind gesture.
She's just a normal person—what could she possibly do if I really got into trouble? Liliana thought to herself.
---
T/N: for a second i was like no way she sold the holy grail but then i realized she prob conjured gold with its power or... she prob cant conjure food
...
Huh. You really stuck it out all the way to the end.
Didn't think you had the patience. Guess I was wrong.
WiseTL's the one who actually made all this come together. I'm just here putting a bow on it… or, well, shoving it in a backpack and calling it a day. Same thing.
If you had fun, you know what to do:
👉 [patreon.com/WiseTL]
Heads up—Patreon's 50% off for all tiers during May. So if you were on the fence? Now's the time.
And if you're the social type, there's a Discord too. Pretty decent spot to hang out—no battles required.
👉 [discord.gg/wisetl]
Alright. That's enough standing around. Go on—before you make it weird.
—Leaf